I Was Confessed to by the Person I Was Admiring

Chapter 98: Something that flies and is on fire

Observing his behavior, I sensed that something had happened, just as Dennis had said earlier.

I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at the thought that this shop might also disappear, but I continued the conversation, thinking that I had to convey the main point.

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.”

“…That’s not why you came here, is it?”

Paolo, who had been staring at me with a stern expression, let out a sigh and scratched his head awkwardly.

“So she did come after all?”

“Yeah, she’s inside the shop right now…”

Paolo glanced briefly at Dennis standing behind me, looking like she was about to pounce, then quickly returned his gaze to me. He seemed a little scared. I could tell from the way his mouth twitched.

“Let me see her. I’ll bring her back right away.”

“Okay.”

Paolo shrugged his shoulders and led me and Dennis into the shop. He looked startled when he saw the servants trailing behind us.

“Wait a minute, it’s going to be difficult even if so many people come in. It’s small and we won’t even be able to sit down.”

“But…”

I looked up at Dennis in distress. She glared at Paolo with a stern expression and then spoke to the servants. 

“You guys wait here. If we don’t come back in an hour, we’ll break in. That’s all… Is that okay with you?” 

The last words were directed at Paolo, who nodded with suspicious behavior. The two servants tightened their tough faces even more than Dennis and answered solemnly, as if they were about to give a military salute, “Understood.”

Feeling a little overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all, I followed Dennis into the store.

Unlike during business hours, the cleaned tables and chairs and the kitchen prepared for use at any time looked lonely.

Paolo didn’t even glance at them and headed towards the back of the store. We passed by stairs leading down and a room filled with food on the way. At the end of those rooms was a room with light leaking out.

It seemed to be a place to take a break.

Paolo beckoned us and we stepped into the room.

Inside the room were two simple beds, a shabby writing desk for keeping accounts, and a shelf for recipes and such.

It was certainly small, but I wondered if it was enough for two more people as I looked around and tilted my head.

“Paolo, where is Lucia?”

“…She’s not here.”

“Huh?”

I was puzzled by his cold response. Then I noticed something strange about Paolo’s behavior. 

It wasn’t just because of the awkwardness of what had happened that I was sure of. His demeanor was even more tense.

“But you said she was at the store earlier.”

As I tried to continue, there was a noise behind me. Three men appeared in my field of vision. They all looked like working-class men in dirty, worn-out clothes, and they were well-built.

Before I could even say anything, they caught Dennis.

“What are you doing? Stop it!”

Paolo grabbed my arm reflexively as I struggled, and it was no use. He held me tightly, and it hurt.

On the floor, Dennis was desperately resisting.

However, no matter how strong she was, she couldn’t match the strength of three men. She was being gagged and tied up.

In pain and shock, I asked with tears in my eyes.

“Why are you doing this? What did I do?!”

“Well, I didn’t really plan on doing this. No, I was planning on giving up…”

“What are you talking about?”

I didn’t understand anything he said, so I just kept asking questions. It was partly because it was the only thing I could do at the moment, but also because I wanted to distract myself from the fear by asking questions. 

“But, in the end, with the arrival of that lady, Lucia, we were able to bring you into our group as originally planned.”

“Group? What kind of group?”

“Of course, a group of people with memories like yours.”

It wasn’t Paolo who answered my question. It was a man standing leaning against the door of the break room. He had a noticeable presence and stood out among the working-class people. I recognized him from somewhere.

He had curly brown hair and a thin build. There was something about him that gave off an artistic vibe and his sharp eyes added to that impression.

Tonight, he was dressed a little better and wore a neat coat, although it was second-hand. He even looked like a scholar.

“You are…”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Lorraine Valcourt. Well, it’s not the first time we’ve met, but it’s the first time we’ve met properly since we only exchanged two or three words before.

I’m Cassini. I’m working on improving the status and living conditions of all those with memories in this country.”

His words were spoken calmly but coarsely, yet they were quiet, which made them somewhat ominous. I had so many questions to ask, but as soon as I heard his answer, my voice choked up and I couldn’t speak. 

“Oh, by the way, did you read the newspaper the other day? I thought it was about time to reveal our true identity. Our aim was to make the upper class of this country aware of our value and show them the difference with other countries,” said the man, Cassini, with a happy expression.

I was once again shocked and couldn’t speak. It made me cry to think about my lack of discernment.

He continued to speak to me.

“To be honest, I wanted to welcome our comrades in a more peaceful way. But there was no other choice. Maybe Paolo’s charm wasn’t enough. Honestly, I wanted Paolo to elope with you. Well, I understand your feelings. Your partner is a promising son of Marquis and also very handsome, right? Certainly, he and this man are incomparable,” he said with a slightly distorted laugh.

But more than that, I was shocked by his words. Does that mean Paolo’s confession was a lie?

I honestly want to stop here because I can’t believe in myself anymore, but I still can’t speak.

Then Paolo let out an annoyed voice.